Automatic adjustable spool for music-sheets for mechanical piano-players.



G. HELLER. AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE SPOOL FOR MUSIC SHEETS FOR MECHANICAL PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLIG'ATION IlLED AUG. 8, 1910.

laiented Dec. 27, 1910.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY G. MILLER, CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE VOCALSTYIIE MUSIC COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMATIC ,AnJUsr'AsLnsrooL :ron MUSIC-SHEETS son MECHANICAL runo- Q PLAYERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.-

I Application filed August 8, 1910; Serial No 576,060.

To all whom it may concern: 7 Be it known that I,- HARRY G. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cineinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Automatic Adjustable Spools for Musie- Sheets for Mechanical Piano-Players, of which the following is a, specification. My invention relates to roll spools for music sheets used for automatic piano players.

The paper of which music rolls for auto matic piano players is made has been found to vary in size due to different atmospheric conditions and it has therefore been found necessary to provide means on the spool for taking care of the variation in width andstill prevent the paperfrom binding between the end flanges of the spools.

The object ofmy invention is to provide a spool with an automatic adjustable flange on the end thereof for the purpose of holding the paper music sheet roll in its proper position at all times and never allow to get out of alinement.

, Another object of my invention is to pro vide a spool which may be adjusted to various widths of paper rolls and besides have an automatic adjustable end which will take care of'the-swellin-g andshrinking of the paper. I accomplish this result by prov'iding an adjustable flange on the end of the hollow shank, said adjustable flange havinga stem, part of which passes'through a friction disk on the inside of the spool shank and is provided with a spring bearing against the shoulder at the end of saidstem and against said friction disk, a stationary disk fastened on the inside of the spool shank and having a shaft passing through it and also through the flange to form a bearing member for the spool. I

,My invention also consists in certain de-' 'tails of construction and in the combination of parts herein set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which. serve to illustrate my invention: Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a music roll spool showing my improved automatic adjusting device. Fig. 2 is a portion of the roll, spool partly in section showing my improved de vice inadjusted position. A In my preferred construction herein illustrated 1 represents the shank of a roll spool having a" stationary flange 2 on one end thereof and an adjustable flange 3 on the other end thereof. The adjustable flange 3 provided with .a stem 4 which preferably extends up to a friction disk or binding member 5. A reduced portion 6 of the stem 4 passes through the friction disk 5' and is provided with a shoulder 7 at the'end thereof,- against which a spring 8 is adapted to bear. The other end of the spring 8 is adapted to bear against the friction disk 5.

A stationary disk 9 is provided on the inside of the shank 1 of the roll spool and is pref erablv held in place by pins 10. A shaft- If is fastened to the disk 9 in some suitable 'manner and passes completely through the end flange 3 and extends outwardly beyond said flange a short distance to form a-bear ing shaft for the spool.

The friction disk'or binding member 5 is adapted to slide on the inside of the shank 1 of the spool when suflicient force has been exerted to overcome the friction between the surface of the disk and the inside surface of the shank -1. i

The shank 1' is preferably constructed slightly shorter than the width of the music sheet to be rolled thereon, thus causing the flange 3 to bear against the paper 0 the music roll and not against the end fof the shank 1 of thespool.

When it is desired to roll the paper upon the spool t'he friction disk 5 is moved outwardly in order to givethe paper plenty of room to roll upon the'shank '1 of the spool,

and upon completing the winding of the -music sheet the flange 3 s forcedmwardly,

thus forcing the friction disk 5 inwardly and at the same time truing up the edges of the music sheet and placing them in their proper position. When thus adjusted, the flange 3 does not quite touch the end of the shank 1 but bears against the edges of. the

music sheet roll, thus constantly maintain-' ing the edges of the roll in proper aline nent." If the paper swells, as .is often the case, the flange 3 will move outwardlyaccordintg to the expansion of the paper, the paper orcing the flange outwaidly against the pressure of the spring 8 The flange 3 bein moved outwardly of course moves the shoulder 7 outwardly, thereby pressing the spring 8 egg East the friction disk 5. Upon the relaxation or shrinking of the paper, the flange 3 will automatically move inwardly with the paper thus producing an automatic adjustment which is found to be invaluable in this art.

The automatic adjustment, as Well as the adjustment of greater resistance, is shown in Fig. 2, the flange 3 being adjusted to practically its maximum distance; the spring 8 being compressedslightly and the binding in'enibei' O1 friction disk having been moved outwardly a short distance, thereby increasing the Width between the flanges 2 and 3 on the shank 1 of the spool.-

Slight modifications of my invention may erases be made without departing from its spirit and scope, and I do not Wish to be confined totlie exact details shown,

' hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A spool for music rolls comprising a shank, an adjustable flange on the end thereof having a stem extending inside of said shank, a shoulder on said stern, a friction disk on the inside of said shank, a: spring scribed.

HARRY Gr. MILLER.

Witnesses i James N. RAMsnY; EMMA GRIsoHY.

mg into said stem, substantiallyas deadapted to he placed between said shoulder o 

